PAPER SMILES
Momma was the queen of the library
She read those second graders straight to sleep
Poppa raised the walls of pine and cherry
Built a boat that never sailed the sea
Sister learned the law to keep us stable
Built herself a fortress out of books
But in the end, in love she was not able
To keep the bindings steady as they looked
Me, I got around
Rang the bells in every town
Scattered all the melodies I took
So I left my home, but I didn’t leave alone
Put a picture in my pocket when I go
So I can hold them close, all the ones I love the most
Just to see their paper smiles at my show
Brother was a soldier of invention
Balanced all the scales I could not see
Taught me it took more than good intention
To make the life you want reality
But after all his fighting for the future
He circled back around to face the past
The towers of our ego are just sutures
But in the end it’s music that will last
Me, I played the sounds
Of lovers lost and freedom found
So I left my home, but I didn’t leave alone
Put a picture in my pocket when I go
So I can hold them close, all the ones I love the most
Just to see their paper smiles at my show